Okay - the division symbol could be a fraction bar - but it is not in this case. The fraction bar acts like a set of parenthesis.....so, if the division here is like the fraction bar, then you should have used a set of parenthesis - but you did not. This defaults to PEMDAS and the answer is 9.

It seems that each student interpreted the problem differently, resulting in two different answers. Student 1 performed the operation of addition first, then multiplication; whereas student 2 performed multiplication first, then addition. When performing arithmetic operations there can be only one correct answer. We need a set of rules in order to avoid this kind of confusion. Mathematicians have devised a standard order of operations for calculations involving more than one arithmetic operation.

Rule 1: First perform any calculations inside parentheses. Rule 2: Next perform all multiplications and divisions, working from left to right. Rule 3: Lastly, perform all additions and subtractions, working from left to right.

The above problem was solved correctly by Student 2 since she followed Rules 2 and 3. Let's look at some examples of solving arithmetic expressions using these rules.

It seems that each student interpreted the problem differently, resulting in two different answers. Student 1 performed the operation of addition first, then multiplication; whereas student 2 performed multiplication first, then addition. When performing arithmetic operations there can be only one correct answer. We need a set of rules in order to avoid this kind of confusion. Mathematicians have devised a standard order of operations for calculations involving more than one arithmetic operation.

Rule 1: First perform any calculations inside parentheses. Rule 2: Next perform all multiplications and divisions, working from left to right. Rule 3: Lastly, perform all additions and subtractions, working from left to right.

The above problem was solved correctly by Student 2 since she followed Rules 2 and 3. Let's look at some examples of solving arithmetic expressions using these rules.

The thread won't die because people like you still don't understand how to do math, and we are trying to help you understand Distributing and Factoring. We are not trying to be "right" but rather point you in the right direction so you can see for yourself.